The kidneys are organs that function chiefly in the maintenance of suitable water, electrolyte, and acid-base balances in the body and the filtration and excretion of metabolic wastes. A number of different diseases and conditions may affect the kidneys and interfere with their normal processes, including various types of cancer.

Kidney adenocarcinoma, also known as renal cell carcinoma, is the most common form of kidney cancer in adults. Similar to most types of cancer, scientists do not yet know exactly what causes adenocarcinoma of the kidneys, though a number of risk factors have been identified. Smoking is one of the most notable of these factors, smokers being twice as likely as non-smokers to develop the disease. Being male, 50 years or older, and obese, as well as having certain rare disorders, such as von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, a family history of kidney cancer, or long-term dialysis treatments also can increase one’s risk.

The prognosis associated with kidney cancer is best when the disease is caught early. Consequently, when symptoms of renal cell carcinoma develop, they should be brought to the attention of a medical professional as soon as possible. Signs of the disease often include blood in the urine, side or lower back pain, fever, anemia, and weight loss. Water retention, swelling in the feet or ankles, and high blood pressure may also develop if the disease begins to interfere with the ability of the kidneys to regulate body fluids.

Kidney cancer treatment most commonly involves the surgical removal of part or the entire affected organ, a process known as nephrectomy. Adrenal glands, surrounding adipose tissue, and lymph nodes may also be removed. Other forms of treatment that are sometimes utilized in conjunction with surgery or alone include embolization, which cuts off the tumor blood supply and interferes with cancer growth, and radiation therapy, which can help shrink tumors through damage to the cancerous cells they contain inflicted by high-powered radiation. If a patient’s cancer has already metastasized by the time treatment is begun, systemic therapies, such as hormone therapy and biological therapy, are much more likely to be utilized.

Renal adenocarcinoma and other kidney cancers account for approximately three percent of all cancer cases diagnosed. In 2004, about 35,000 new cases of the disease were identified in the United States. The outlook for kidney cancer patients varies greatly based upon the stage of their disease, their general health, and a number of other factors. Approximately three-fourths of patients treated for kidney cancer that has not metastasized survive five years or more after diagnosis. Disease that has reached the lymph nodes or has spread to other organs in the body, however, is associated with significantly lower rates of survival.

Kidney Adenocarcinoma at 40x Magnification - Because symptoms of kidney cancer are similar to those of several other renal disorders, a definitive diagnosis generally necessitates thorough medical testing.

Kidney Adenocarcinoma at 10x Magnification - Exams commonly utilized to diagnose kidney cancer include urinalysis, blood tests, x-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Kidney Adenocarcinoma at 20x Magnification - Chemotherapy, which is a popular form of treatment for many cancer types, has not proven very effective at battling kidney cancer.